Music-teaching apparatus.



v Patented May 6, I902.

J. E. FORFAB.

MUSIC TEACHING APPARATUS.

(Application filed. Sept. 24. 1900,

.2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 699,510. I Patented May 6, I902. J. E. FO BFAR. MUSIC TEACHING APPARATUS.

(Application flied Sept. 24, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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NITED ST TES ATENT OFFICE.-

JAMES E. FORFAR, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

MUSIC-"TEACHING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 699,510 dated May 6, 1902.

Application filed September 24,1900. Serial No. 30,977. (No model.)

To all within it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. FORFAR, doctor of medicine, of the city of Toronto, in the county of York, Province of Ontario, Canada,

have invented certain new and useful Im provements in Music-Teaching Apparatus, of

which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to devise an apparatus which may be used in teaching mu sic by kindergarten methods; and the essence of the system is a board .upon which are painted the lines of the musical staff and upon which notes and musical signs may be detachably affixed by means of sharp-pointed pins projectingtherefrom or in any other convenient manner. To the board are also connected devices for teaching the lines and spaces, staff-building, and time, all substan tially as hereinafter more specifically described.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of the board and teaching apparatus. Fig. 2 is a perspective detail of a portion of an attached diagonal strip withits pins. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail, partly broken away, showing staff-building attachment. Fig. 4 shows plan viewsof some of the notes and other musical signs used. Fig. 5 is a detail of one of the blocks used in teaching the lines and spaces. Fig. 6 is a perspective detailed view of the pegs used in teaching time. Fig. 7 is a detailed view of the characters used in teaching time and made attachable to the board in the same manner as the notes and musical signs. Fig. Sis a perspective detail of one of the corks used in connection with the diagonal strip in teaching the lines and spaces.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

A is a board, preferably divided into two parts hinged together at a. for convenience of thereon. Upon the complete board, thus formed may be placed musical notes and signs such as illustrated in Fig. 4, each character being provided with a spike or pin 0, 'by means of which it may be affixed to the board.

As other musical characters in ordinary use 'will be represented, a complete musical se lection may be formed upon the board with scale-signature, time-sign, notes, rests, pauses, and marks of expression, 850. Each mark of expression is provided with one or more pins projecting from its under surface, which may be pressed into the board to cause the characters to stay in the desired places.

For the purpose of teaching the lines and spaces a series of blocks 0 are used, each marked with the name of the given line or space and provided with the usual pin for attachment to the board. (See Fig. These blocks are placed in their proper positions by the children or after having been placed are removed by them as directed. As an addition to this means of teaching the lines and spaces I providea diagonal strip D, which may be attached to the board by means of are adapted to enter holes in the board, the strip being set diagonally across all the lines of the bass and treble staffs and the leger lines above and below. (See Fig. 2.) From the surface of this strip project a series of pins, one for each line and each space. Upon these pins may be placed corks E, such as shown in Fig. 8, each marked on one end with the name of the line or space. Like the blocks 0, these corks may be used in teaching the lines and spaces by placing them in or removing them from their proper position opposite the given line or space. As a variation gum-drops or other articles attractive to the children may be placed upon the pins and the children'instructed to remove those opposite certain given lines or spaces, the possession of the gum-drop beingthe reward of a successful choice.

To teach staff-building, I provide a frame or board F (see Figs. 1 and 3) with projecting pins 1). This board is so arranged that it may jects just below each line of the staff. Upon these pins are laid bars G to represent the line pins d, projecting from its under side,'which be attached to the board A, so thata pin pro- I of the staff. The bar for the middle 0 is made short, as well as the other bars used for leger lines.

The pins b may be secured in the board A; but it is more convenient to use the attached board I To teach time, I provide the board with a series of equidistant holes, preferably in the spaces between some of the lower leger lines, as being most easily reached. Into these holes may be inserted pegs, such as shown in Fig. (3, representing the whole and the half, quarter, and eighth of a circle and also adot which increases the length of the previous note by half. The children are taught to fill up each measure with a sufficient number of pegs and dots to give full measures according to the time indicated. As a variation the characters shown in Fig. 7 may be used in any position upon the staff in a similarmanner.

To make the apparatus attractive to the eye and at the same time aid in teaching, I prefer to make the characters of different colors. For instance, sharps may be marked red, flats blue, rests green, time blue, and other characters of different colors.

The above is a bald description of the apparatus employed; but it is impossible in the limits of aspecification to indicate thoroughly the method of using the same. Suffice it to say that at every step the kindergarten play methods are used and appropriate songs accompany as far as possible the different lessons.

By the use of such a graphic system of teaching the dry technical partof music is rendered so interesting as to be learned with great rapidity by the very youngest pupils, and learned not only rapidly but very thoroughly.

In elaborating the system various changes may be made in the details of the construction; but the above description will be found upper right-hand edge of the main board and having leger lines above and below the staff displayed thereon, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In music-teaching apparatus a board having the lines of the musical staff displayed thereon in combination with two supplemental boards attached respectively to the lower left-hand edge and the upper righthand edge of the main board and having provided with projecting pins opposite the lines and spaces of the said board, substan tially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In music-teaching apparatus a board provided with a series of projecting pins arranged in pairs in combination with a number of bars suitably spaced to agree with the lines of the staff and which maybe laid upon the pins to represent the longlines of a musical staff, and short bars to represent the leger lines of the staff, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In music-teaching apparatus a board provided with a series of projecting pins arranged in pairs in combination with a number of bars suitably spaced to agree with the lines of the staff and which may be laid upon the pins to represent the longlines of a m usical staff; and short bars to represent the leger lines of the staff, and a series of blocks marked with the names of the spaces and provided with projecting spikes or pins for attachment to the board between the said bars, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

Toronto, September 21, 1900.

JAMES E. FORFAR.

In presence of J. EDW. HAYBEE, S. J. OOLBOURNE. 

